Medicare A2400C Algorithm with the NPE and Interrupted Stay

AAPACN has adapted the A2400C flow chart from section A of the RAI User’s Manual to show how A2400C impacts how the nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) schedules the PPS Part A Discharge assessment and how the interrupted stay policy could impact both A2400C and the assessment schedule. Check out AAPACN’s …

AAPACN Responds to CMS’s Comment Request for FY 2023 SNF PPS Proposed Rule

Jessie McGill, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA and Alexis Roam, MSN, RN-BC, DNS-CT, QCP The annual rulemaking process enables stakeholders to comment on proposals that will affect skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) throughout the next year. In early April, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its fiscal year (FY) 2023 …

Q&A: Does an inpatient rehab stay count toward a qualifying hospital stay for Medicare coverage?

Question: We have a referral for a resident with Medicare Part A who has been in an inpatient rehab facility (IRF) for six weeks. Is the IRF still considered acute and can qualify for the 3-day qualifying hospital stay (QHS)? Answered by Janine Cortesa RN, BSN: Acute inpatient rehab facilities …

Resident Cognitive Level Determination: For the SLP and Nursing Components Under PDPM

If the BIMS interview is not completed, the PDPM Cognitive Level will be used to determine cognitive impairment under the SLP and Nursing components of PDPM. AAPACN has updated its Resident Cognitive Level Determination Tool to help nurse assessment coordinators better understand the differences between SLP and Nursing PDPM Cognitive Level scoring.  For permission to …

SNF VBP: FY 2026 Program Year Proposed Nurse Staffing Measure Technical Specifications (4/22)

Proposed Specifications for the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) Program: Total Nursing Hours per Resident Day Measure (PDF) From https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/Value-Based-Programs/SNF-VBP/Measure

ICD-10 Diagnosis Coding for Skilled Nursing Facilities with Carol Maher

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, and Carol Maher, director of education for Hansen, Hunter & Co., discuss ICD-10 diagnosis coding for skilled nursing facilities.

Section GG Process Flow Chart Tool

The functional assessment coded in section GG often brings with it many questions— Should therapy complete this section? What type of documentation is needed? Can I use nurse aide documentation? How do we determine usual performance? The AAPACN Section GG Process Flow Chart will help your team establish a process …

Q&A: If hospital documentation supports a diagnosis of hip fracture as the initial encounter, do I need to query the physician for the subsequent encounter diagnosis to be used in the SNF?

Question: If a resident had a hospital stay for hip fracture repair, with no complications documented, and the hospital documentation supports a diagnosis of hip fracture as the initial encounter, do I need to query the physician for the subsequent encounter diagnosis to be used in the SNF? Answer: The …

Q&A: If a mechanically altered diet is being trialed during a speech therapy visit to facilitate oral intake, could K0510C, mechanically altered diet, be coded on the MDS?

Question: We are seeking clarification on MDS item K0510C, mechanically altered diet. If a resident is being trialed on a mechanically altered diet or given thickened liquids provided during a speech therapy visit to facilitate oral intake, could K0510C, mechanically altered diet, be coded on the MDS if it was …

Q&A: What are the changes affecting SNFs in the updated blanket waiver that was recently released?

The COVID-19 Emergency Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers that was updated and released on Nov 29, 2021 adds a new waiver that allows more flexibility in the education and training requirements for individuals serving as Directors of Food and Nutrition Services. Want to read more Q&As? Visit the AAPACN …